The importance of assessing pain or discomfort caused by abnormal movements related to tardive dyskinesia
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) often causes involuntary movements of the orofacial region1 and can have profound negative effects on patients’ physical functioning.2,3 As a result of these movements, patients with TD may find daily activities such as chewing, breathing, and swallowing difficult, uncomfortable, or even painful.2,3
In this short video, Dr. Richard S. Jackson, MD (University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA) notes that the abnormal movements related to TD are often the focus of clinical assessments and patient discussions. He suggests that clinicians should routinely ask their patients about any pain or discomfort directly resulting from these abnormal movements3 and any other secondary effects from patients suppressing their movements. To explore the broad range of physical impairments caused by TD, Dr. Jackson recommends asking patients specific, detailed questions regarding sores in their mouth, difficulties with chewing or swallowing, and biting their tongue or grinding their teeth.
Sometimes you would get jaw pain from chomping the gum hard just trying to stop the tardive dyskinesia - Patient with TD
Watch a video of Dr Jackson discussing the pain caused by tardive dyskinesia with a patient
References
- Caroff SN, Citrome L, Meyer J, et al. A modified delphi consensus study of the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of tardive dyskinesia. J Clin Psychiatry. 2020;81:19cs12983.
- Strassnig M, Rosenfeld A, Harvey PD. Tardive dyskinesia: motor system impairments, cognition and everyday functioning. CNS Spectr. 2018;23:370–7.
- Jackson R, Brams MN, Citrome L, et al. Assessment of the impact of tardive dyskinesia in clinical practice: consensus panel recommendations. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2021;17:1589–97.
NPS-US-NP-01114
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